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Our case study at Cochlear, a medical device manufacturer, highlights how devolving HR to the line can facilitate organisational change to lean manufacturing. Drawing on interviews and focus groups conducted with management and employees, it sheds light into the HR practices in one of the very few Australian manufacturers that are successful on an international scale. This study contributes to the debate on strategic human resource management and in particular on the role of line managers and the process and outcomes of devolving HR responsibilities to the line during an organisational-wide transformation to lean management (a form of high-performance work systems). Furthermore, we add to the increasing and significant research stream which argues that HR affects organisational performance indirectly rather than directly; hence, the focus of HR professionals should be on developing systems of support for line managers so as to ensure the consistent and equitable enactment of intended HRM practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the professional identity and role of human resource managers in fostering and implementing strategies that encourage high workplace performance. Workplace performance affects Australian competitiveness and this is the first detailed empirical analysis of Australian HR managers that combines case studies and survey methods. This research seeks to provide more in-depth knowledge and understanding of HR managers and line managers and how the HR function can contribute to high workplace performance. Overall this research suggests that while the HR function is likely to change in the future, its role is not diminishing in organisational decision-making. In particular, the HR function appears to provide an important function in providing the balance between behaviours and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review of industrial relations reform in Australia will highlight the changes and challenges since the introduction of the Rudd Labor government's Forward with fairness agenda. In particular, it examines the major issues and areas of change under the new Fair Work Act 2009 and highlights the challenges and opportunities that these might present in the near future given the current economic climate. This review attempts to examine these major themes in industrial relations reform through a 'business lens' - an employer perspective. However, it will also assess the potential impact of the Act within an economic, political and industrial relations context. The reforms are likely to create an environment for greater fairness at workplace level by an increased focus on collective bargaining. However, whether the Act will encourage enterprise bargaining remains and provide a platform for achieving greater productivity and fairness is to be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human resource management (HRM) is a major mechanism to realise decent work and achieve employee well‐being in China. Key questions concern how and when HRM is mutually beneficial for employers and employees, particularly how well HRM works with trade unions in achieving decent work. This study examines the effect of high‐performance work systems and trade unions on employee engagement, paying particular attention to the role of industrial relations (IR) climate in facilitating this relationship. Hypotheses were tested via unique cross‐sectional survey data from a large employer–employee matched dataset collected from 264 manufacturing firms and 6921 workers in China. The findings highlight that HPWS are a key mechanism for realising decent work. We also find positive evidence for the mutual gains of decent work illustrating the combined impact of HPWS and trade unions in achieving higher levels of employee engagement. Notably, a co‐operative (as opposed to adversarial) IR climate is seen to reinforce this relationship, indicating the significance of the quality of relationships among management, employees, and unions in shaping employee outcomes. Overall, these findings advance understanding of the realisation of decent work and 'mutual gains' in a Chinese context. Key points HPWS are a key mechanism for realising decent work, while the collective voice function of the trade union in China remains insufficient.Greater levels of employee engagement and decent work are achieved when employees experience the combined influence of both HPWS and trade unions.A co‐operative industrial relations climate, as reflected in the perceived quality of relationships among management, employees, and unions plays a critical role in enabling and enhancing mutual benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our qualitative study addresses a significant gap in the scholarship on return‐to‐work after cancer by examining the impact of secondary lymphoedema on individuals in paid employment. We undertook an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of interviews with 14 cancer survivors (13 women) with secondary lymphoedema in Sydney, Australia. Our interviewees were engaged in paid employment during and after their lymphoedema diagnosis. In addition to difficulties with tasks involving manual or repetitive labour, interviewees highlighted the importance of work for maintaining their identity. They also outlined the critical role that significant others at work, such as supervisors and colleagues, play in maintaining that identity. At the same time, their need for privacy and control over to whom they disclosed their lymphoedema diagnosis emerged strongly from our interviews. Finally, we present the coping mechanisms that our interviewees utilised to manage their lymphoedema in the workplace, including covering the affected limb with long sleeves, changing the tasks they completed, or even changing employers. In addition to our contribution to the scholarship, we highlight implications for employers, future research, and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of life is a complicated concept that has attracted broad attention from multiple disciplines. This article introduces a set of studies that employ diverse approaches to explore how work, vocational, and career experiences shape quality of life among migrants, and proposes a future agenda to extend this stream of research. Specifically, operationalizing quality of life in different ways, research showcased in this special issue has demonstrated how international and intranational migrants achieve, maintain, and enhance their well-being in different life domains. Reflecting on the literature and the showcased studies, this article proposes that future research should advance the current inquiry by better categorizing vocational experiences, uniquely operationalizing of quality of life in migration contexts, taking a more culturally sensitive perspective, and broadening methodological approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]